The DHL Stormers made it two wins from two to start their United Rugby Championship campaign, overcoming a stubborn Ospreys challenge to secure a 26-10 victory at DHL Stadium in Cape Town. Yet for all their second-half dominance, John Dobson’s side will rue the missing bonus point that eluded them despite sustained pressure in the closing stages – a point that could prove crucial when the competition reaches its deciding stages.
Key moments
3′ – Kieran Hardy try after early pressure, Dan Edwards misses conversion (0-5)
10′ – Evan Roos try from Jurie Matthee cross-kick, Jurie Matthee misses conversion (5-5)
28′ – Kieran Hardy second try after Dan Kasende break, Dan Edwards misses conversion (5-10)
36′ – Jurie Matthee penalty attempt drifts wide (5-10)
40′ – Jurie Matthee penalty goal (8-10)
Half-time: Stormers 8-10 Ospreys
43′ – Jurie Matthee penalty goal (11-10)
56′ – Jurie Matthee penalty goal (14-10)
58′ – Wandisile Simelane try after brilliant team move, Jurie Matthee converts (21-10)
70′ – Paul de Villiers try from driving maul, Jurie Matthee misses conversion (26-10)
Full-time: Stormers 26-10 Ospreys
On a clear evening at Green Point Stadium with temperatures around 19 degrees and a light breeze, the Stormers extended their impressive home form following the previous weekend’s 35-0 demolition of defending champions Leinster. The Ospreys, meanwhile, suffered a second consecutive defeat in South Africa, having led at half-time for the second successive weekend only to be overpowered after the interval. Mark Jones’s side squandered a 10-8 lead, unable to score in the second half as the Stormers’ scrum dominance and attacking quality proved decisive.
The occasion carried special significance for Stormers scrum-half Dewaldt Duvenage, who ran out for his 100th appearance for the Cape franchise since making his debut in 2009. The 37-year-old veteran’s third stint with the club – having played for Perpignan and Benetton in between – was marked by a sentimental selection that would ultimately prove less effective than hoped.
The Ospreys executed an almost perfect start, scoring within the opening three minutes for the second successive weekend. Captain Dewi Lake’s monstrous hit in the opening exchanges resulted in an early penalty deep in Stormers territory. From the lineout, the visitors went to the maul which the Stormers duly shut down, but it was too late to stop Kieran Hardy, who sniped through the gap to dot down. Edwards missed the conversion, but the Welsh side led 5-0 and had stamped their authority on proceedings.
The Stormers, who had enjoyed the better of territory and possession in the opening quarter, responded seven minutes later with a try of quality and opportunism. After good attacking play near the Ospreys line, Jurie Matthee spotted space out wide and launched a cross-field kick that took one of the most unpredictable bounces imaginable. Number eight Evan Roos was alert to the opportunity and pounced to level the scores at 5-5. Matthee’s conversion attempt drifted wide, maintaining parity.
Lake picked up where he left off against the Bulls the previous week, putting his body on the line at the breakdown and winning crucial turnovers to swing momentum. The Wales hooker’s lineout throwing remained pinpoint, though the Stormers disrupted the subsequent maul to win a turnover of their own. Winger Dan Kasende was causing absolute havoc in the air, chasing down every high ball and constantly disrupting Stormers possession as the contest remained fiercely competitive.
Both defences stood tall in the opening 25 minutes, with momentum changing hands regularly. When the Stormers did threaten, it was safe hands from Hardy and Ross Moriarty who spotted the danger and escorted the opposition into touch. Hardy’s contribution in the first half bordered on the exceptional, capping his spoils with a huge turnover on 28 minutes that caused mayhem at the breakdown.
That turnover proved the catalyst for the Ospreys’ second score. After a solid scrum, Edwards passed the ball on with an outrageous barely-there touch. It landed with Kasende, who beat his man down the outside with a goosey and sent Hardy over for his second try. The blockbuster score from the backs had the Ospreys 10-5 ahead, though Edwards’s conversion struck the post and bounced away.
The Stormers attacked immediately from the restart, haring down the blindside from the lineout, but again it was safe hands from Hardy and Moriarty who dealt with the danger. The big men – Huw Sutton and Gareth Thomas – led the pack in soaking up tackles and holding up numerous Stormers ball carriers, whilst Harri Deaves and Lake were a consistent nuisance at the breakdown, slowing play and winning turnovers.
The Stormers earned a scrum penalty on 36 minutes when Tom Botha, who had replaced Rhys Henry after an early injury, hit the deck. The home side opted to take three points, but Matthee dragged his penalty wide. However, he made amends on the stroke of half-time when the Ospreys were penalised at another scrum. This time, from directly in front of the posts, Matthee was successful, narrowing the deficit to 8-10 at the interval.
First-half statistics revealed the Ospreys had executed their game plan impressively, their breakdown excellence and contestable kicking game causing problems for the Stormers. Yet the scrum remained a concern, with six set-piece penalties conceded across the match ultimately proving costly. Dobson had made selection decisions that surprised some observers, leaving Paul de Villiers and Stefan Ungerer on the bench, but he would turn to his reinforcements early in the second period.
The Stormers started the second half with renewed purpose, applying immediate pressure to the Ospreys defence. They earned a penalty directly in front of the posts after 43 minutes, and Matthee’s successful kick gave the home side their first lead at 11-10. Three minutes later, another penalty opportunity arose, and Matthee extended the advantage to 14-10 with 20 minutes remaining.
The introduction of de Villiers and Ben-Jason Dixon on 45 minutes, followed later by Ungerer, transformed the Stormers’ performance. De Villiers in particular made an immediate impact, bringing the presence and physicality that had been lacking. The tide at the breakdown, which had favoured the Ospreys in the first half, began turning decisively in the Stormers’ favour.
The defining moment arrived in the 58th minute with a try of stunning quality. Wandisile Simelane, playing at fullback rather than his preferred centre position, started and finished a brilliant team move. The 26-year-old received the ball inside his own half and wrong-footed the tough Ospreys defence with a dazzling run. He offloaded to captain Ruhan Nel, who sent Seabelo Senatla on a sortie down the touchline. Nel then picked up his own kick ahead and transferred to Simelane, who had the pace to complete the score. Matthee’s superb touchline conversion made it 21-10, effectively ending the contest.
The Ospreys continued to fight hard in the final 20 minutes, but the Stormers’ scrum and driving maul were causing insurmountable problems. Lake acknowledged the challenge post-match: “It is a massive positive for us starting quickly again as we did last week. It is probably that 10 to 15 minute period after half-time where we are kind of letting the game slip at the moment. We had a couple of opportunities we did not execute and we were then starved of possession and territory. It’s tough then to get back into the game against a quality outfit.”
The pressure proved too much in the 70th minute when the Stormers executed another driving maul from a lineout. De Villiers broke away and drove over from close range for the third try, capping an impressive performance that vindicated his introduction. Matthee missed the conversion, leaving the score at 26-10 with 10 minutes remaining.
The Stormers hunted desperately for the bonus-point fourth try in the closing stages, winning a penalty with time expired and kicking to the corner. Yet grim Ospreys defending, which had been a feature throughout despite the scoreline, kept them out. A knock-on ended the resultant attack, and referee Peter Martin blew for full-time.
The Stormers’ second-half dominance was comprehensive, yet the missing bonus point represented the curveball that South African coaches invariably face in this competition. More concerning for Dobson was the injury to stalwart tighthead prop Neethling Fouché, who confirmed on social media that he had suffered a broken arm and would be consigned to supporting from the stands for the foreseeable future. With Frans Malherbe continuing to struggle with a troublesome back injury, the front-row stocks suddenly looked depleted, though Wilco Louw’s arrival next season offers long-term solace.
For the Ospreys, the defeat meant they finished their South African tour winless, having squandered half-time leads in both matches. The scrum issues that plagued them in Pretoria against the Bulls continued in Cape Town, with six set-piece penalties proving decisive. Yet there were positives to take, particularly the performances of Hardy, Lake, Deaves, Moriarty and Kasende. The Welsh side kept the Stormers scoreless in the final 10 minutes whilst desperately defending, showcasing the character that would be needed as they returned to Wales for their first home match against Zebre.
Post-match, Dobson would reflect on Simelane’s performance with pride: “I’m thrilled for Wandi. He’s such a good kid and has worked really hard off the ball. He’s had to wait for his chance, and I’m very happy for him. He’s put so much into the team environment.” The fullback was named Player of the Match, having strutted through the Ospreys defence almost every time he touched the ball, demonstrating that he could excel in the position despite previously being unhappy when Jake White selected him there at the Bulls.
Dobson confirmed that his three Springbok backline players – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian de Allende and Cobus Reinach – would all link up with the squad during the week following their involvement in the Rugby Championship decider. “We’ll have a few national players linking up with us after the test at Twickenham. They’re available, and I’m sure the temptation to play them will be strong. We need to get wins on the road, and having them back will be a massive boost.”
The Stormers now embark on a challenging three-match European tour, beginning with the Scarlets in Wales before a double-header in Italy against Zebre and Benetton. “The conditions were useful for us because that’s the kind of rugby we’ll have to play up north. We will need to play tough, grind-it-out rugby,” Dobson noted, acknowledging the different challenges ahead.
With two wins from two home matches, the Stormers have made their best start to a URC season in recent memory. Nine points from 10 available represents an excellent foundation, even if that missing bonus point may yet prove significant. The return of their Springbok contingent, combined with the imminent availability of injured players like Ntuthuko Mchunu and Warrick Gelant, suggests the squad depth will only improve.
For the Ospreys, the challenge now is to regroup and secure their first victory of the campaign on home soil. Having demonstrated they can compete with South African opposition for extended periods, the task is converting performances into results. Jones will know that addressing the scrum issues and maintaining second-half intensity remain priorities if his side is to build on the attacking promise they have shown in both their opening fixtures.
DHL Stormers: Wandisile Simelane; Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel (capt), Dan du Plessis (Clinton Swart 69), Leolin Zas; Jurie Matthee, Dewaldt Duvenage (Stefan Ungerer 59); Vernon Matongo (Ali Vermaak 60), André-Hugo Venter (JJ Kotze 51), Neethling Fouché (Sazi Sandi 49); Adré Smith (Ruben van Heerden 53), JD Schickerling; Marcel Theunissen (Paul de Villiers 45), Connor Evans (Ben-Jason Dixon 45), Evan Roos
Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Dan Kasende, Phil Cokanasiga (Tom Florence 52), Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards (Iestyn Hopkins 69), Kieran Hardy (Reuben Morgan-Williams 56); Gareth Thomas (Cameron Jones 65), Dewi Lake (capt) (Lewis Lloyd 65), Rhys Henry (Tom Botha 16); Rhys Davies (James Fender 60), Huw Sutton; James Ratti, Harri Deaves, Ross Moriarty (Morgan Morse 60)
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Hanru van Rooyen, JD Jadezweni (SARU)
TMO: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)
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